Photo: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The North Dakota State Bison have announced their 2026 non-conference football schedule, their first at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level.
North Dakota State, which has competed at the FCS level since 2004, announced on February 9 that it was moving up to the FBS and joining the Mountain West Conference. As a result, the Bison have a completely new slate of opponents for the 2026 season.
NDSU will kick off its inaugural FBS season in Week Zero on Saturday, August 29 against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. The Bison are eligible to play in Week Zero this season due to playing at Hawaii in Honolulu.
The following week on September 5, the Fordham Rams visit the Fargodome. In other non-conference action, NDSU will visit Sacramento State on Sept. 19 and San Jose State on Nov. 28. Although both schools are Mountain West members, the NDSU-San Jose State game will not count in the league standings.
In Mountain West action this fall, North Dakota State will host Nevada, Northern Illinois, UTEP, and Wyoming, while traveling to Air Force, Hawaii, New Mexico, and UNLV. Check out the complete 2026 football schedule for the North Dakota State Bison below.
2026 NDSU Football Schedule
08/29 – Jax State
09/05 – Fordham
09/12 – at Air Force*
09/19 – at Sacramento State
09/26 – OFF
10/03 – Wyoming*
10/10 – at UNLV*
10/17 – Nevada*
10/24 – at New Mexico*
10/31 – UTEP*
11/07 – OFF
11/14 – at Hawaii*
11/21 – NIU*
11/28 – at San Jose State
* MWC contest.